Traffic cops get vote of 'tanks' for saving city from fiery truck

CP awards officials with letter of appreciation and cash reward for helping fire brigade officials contain blaze on the truck, and manage an over three-hour traffic snarl on WEH

Helping fire brigade officials extinguish a blaze on a 20,000-litre diesel-laden tanker stuck on the Western Express Highway (WEH) and controlling a traffic snarl caused by the operation earned nine officials from the Dindoshi traffic division a letter of appreciation and cash reward of Rs 1,000 from city Commissioner of Police Sanjay Barve on Wednesday.

The officers recognised for their work are inspector and in-charge of Dindoshi traffic division Vijay Salunkhe, API Sanjay Surve, police naik Milind Maghade, Kamlakar Mohorkar, Tirupati Rekulvad, Praveen Bhosale, Chhammu Shaikh, constables Praveen Chavan and Shekhar Pawar.

The incident occurred on May 27. Officials told mid-day that a short circuit inside the driver's cabin caused the fire, after which the driver and his assistant jumped out of the vehicle.

"The container was heading to Naigaon. It caught fire on the Aarey bridge, choking the traffic," recalled a traffic official. Some motorcycle-borne traffic police officials, who were alarmed seeing the traffic snarl at 9.50 am on WEH, called senior officials, police control room and fire brigade for help.

The cops decided to focus on two key tasks: controlling the traffic and making an easy path for the quick arrival of fire brigade officials, said Sandeep Bhajibhakare, DCP (traffic suburban). Senior officials created a corridor for the fire brigade. "Fire brigade officials were escorted on a motorcycle from the opposite side of the traffic, where one lane had been created for them," Bhajibhakare added.

Salunkhe said, "It was the morning peak hour and an explosion in the truck could have been detrimental, so we choked the traffic on WEH. We requested motorists to use slip roads instead of the Aarey bridge."

The snarl continued for three hours while the fire brigade managed to douse the flame. Once the tanker was cooled off, officials from Bharat Petroleum were asked to decant it, after which it was removed from the spot, finally helping clear the traffic.

"The alertness of our officers averted a huge mishap and prevented the loss of lives and property. We are committed to regulating the traffic and ensuring the safety of Mumbaikars," Bhajibhakare told mid-day.

Rs 1k
Cash reward given to each official

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